Bob Katter (Kennedy, Katter's Australian Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yes. The Minister for Defence Industry said that I had provided inadequate information to the House on the issue of the tobacco tariffs which closed down the town of Myrtleford and closed down the economy of Mareeba. I've got to be very specific here. Seventy per cent of the tobacco in Australia was all right to come from overseas, but 30 per cent was reserved for Australia. If you went over 70 per cent imports, you were hit with a tariff of 50 per cent, and that 50 per cent tariff enabled Mareeba and Myrtleford to stay in the game. When the 50 per cent tariff was removed, both those towns' tobacco industries closed immediately. That is the proof that I present to the House.

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